Kellen Sullivan

Meet this week’s featured SEE rider! If you are a BIPOC equestrian and you’d like to share your story, click here.

Photo credit: Nicole Yunick

Hi all! My name is Kellen Sullivan and I’m an 18 year old amateur rider from Virginia. I just finished off my junior career and am currently a freshman on the Goucher College Equestrian Team in Towson, MD. I started riding about 15 years ago after seeing the TV show Horse Power: Road To The Maclay on Animal Planet and then begging my parents to start. After taking lessons at a barn near my house for a few years I started showing at the age of 6 and soon after got my first pony.

After finishing out my pony days I competed on my trainers IEA team and was lucky enough to half lease a few horses from her to make showing more affordable for my family. I really had my sights set on wanting to show on the A/AA circuit and moving up some and was blessed with a wonderful free lease to get my feet wet in the 3ft and 3’3” equitation as well as the junior hunters. Throughout my time with that horse I was able to accomplish so many of my goals and qualified for the 2018 VHSA Children’s Medal Finals and US Junior Hunter Finals in 2019.

Photo credit: Horse Shoe Bend Media Group

In early fall of 2019 I began riding with Sam Meadows out of The Meadows Farm and since then have been blessed with so many wonderful opportunities. Sam really did his all to make my last junior so special and I am so grateful. This year I got to accomplish so many of my goals and compete in my first 3’6” equitation final and rode so many wonderful horses while also being to learn more about the business and overall make me a more well-rounded horseman.

Thanks to so many wonderful owners, Sam, and Molly DiNapoli of Infinitty Farm I was able to finish out this year strong while also making showing affordable and won the 2020 VHSA Junior Rider of The Year Award. I spent so many years feeling like I didn’t belong in the sport for a multitude of reasons and just overall not being a confident person.

After being inspired by some wonderful POC equestrians such as Rob Jacobs and Caitlin Gooch and everything they stand for I really became an overall more confident person and felt like I really belonged in the sport. I’m not too sure what the future holds for me riding wise outside of college, but I know horses will always be a part of my life. I do this because I truly love the horses and know I can’t live without them. I really hope to inspire other equestrians in any way I can and remind others that everyone belongs in equestrian sports. Regardless of your background or situation at the end of the day we all participate in this sport because we love the horses and that’s something I never want to forget nor do I want others to forget.

Follow Kellen on Instagram: @stre.ssedout

Photo credits: Four Strides Photography, Jenna Konitzer